No Tears
by Jenna Black
Summary: Rewritetten as of Feb 2006. Hermione's thoughts on the last day. Not a happy fic.


No Tears

By Jenna Black

And now on to the story.  
BR>

I'm not crying now.

I haven't cried for a long time.

Tears are a weakness, and I need to be strong;

Because things are about to get a whole lot harder here on Earth.

Harry's gone, his life ended alongside Hogwarts.

There is no safe-haven now, no place to retreat.

We did worse than back into a corner when it came to this war.

We walked straight into their cage.

And now, we are all trapped.

There are some of us out there, of course. Hiding, enjoying the last moments of their lives before they lose them.

But I'm not one of them.

Gryffindor's power runs strong through me. I am, or was, too strong to back down.

But I wasn't strong enough to fight. Or win.

The executions are going to start soon.

The least involved members up until the leaders.

The order something about seeing what you had brought onto the others.

I'll be one of the last then.

We are held in an arena, circular, so you can see all the faces of all the people who fought.

To my left are Ron, Ginny, Molly and Arthur.

To my right are Remus, Sirius, Severus, Minerva and finally Albus.

Most of the cells across from mine are empty, and their former occupants are thrown unceremoniously in a big pit, waiting for the last of us to join.

I note through unseeing eyes that Neville's body thrown in.

Time passes, and more and more bodies are added. The pit is over half full, and I can no longer see everyone that is in it.

Then _He_ stops to make an announcement.

"Thank you my good friends for coming tonight," The vile snake says, living it up as if he was a showman. "I hope you enjoy the entertainment. And to those of you who are the entertainment, we thank you for being stupid enough to walk into this trap. It truly has made things much less interesting, but a lot more fun. Were going to be taken a break for this evening, the sun is going down and you know I hate it when you just can't see clearly. But don't worry; there will be more - different things to occupy you. And please remember, only five Death Eaters to every cage. We can't be having any accidents now, right my friends?" Trading in his showman's voice for one of a caring person, he said to us. "The show will begin again at sunrise, so do get some sleep tonight, if they let you." He laughed before walking off the platform.

Exhaustion and pain overtake me. Even though I know there are men in my cell having their fun; I do not notice or see anything except the pit, the pit where I will be by nightfall tomorrow.

I'm beyond pain.

The Death Eaters finish quickly; it is no fun when there is no fighting. All too soon I am left alone with my thoughts and fears.

It is a sleepless night, and I pass the time telling stories and fantasies to the moon, the only light in the night, and the only comfort here.

In my childhood the moon had been my friend and protector; though it would offer no protection now, it was still a comfort. I notice it beginning to set and pour into it all my memories and dreams as if that would make a difference, as if that would make me able to hang onto them.

It didn't.

The sun rises, and soon there are people on the pike again.

I can't see anyone across the circle from me, so it could be anytime now.

All too soon Molly and Arthur are together again in the pit.

I notice that everyone has been staring at someone, giving him or her strength, or a look of love, or something, anything that might provide any small bit of comfort.

I realize I don't have anyone to stare at.

I truly am alone.

Ron looks to Ginny giving her strength.

Ginny looks to Remus and mouths, "I love you."

And then she is added, laying face down with her hair covering her brother's face, on top of her mother in some horrible mockery of a mother comforting someone.

And then it's my turn.

I'm led out of the cell and into the circle. I see there are only five of us left, and I wonder who they will look at, or think of, or love.

I notice among the Death Eaters there are children, being forced to watch as someone is strung up to a pike, and strategically bled.

I recognize a wisp of red hair and realize they aren't just the children of Death Eaters, but of others too. Being trained to forget what they know and accept all evils, and eventually even love them.

"Say goodbye to this world" The Death Eater stringing me up says, and I recognize the voice as Draco Malfoys's. Regrets run through me as I think back to the time where we had a chance to turn him to our side, and passed it up as being too difficult.

I feel the cuts he makes in my wrists and ankles, and look up to the cells that still hold a few select people.

I realize as things start to get fuzzy that I don't have to stare at anyone, but simply look at all.

I cast encouraging looks to Sirius, Severus, and Remus. Minerva gets a smile of tranquility and strength. And then I look to Albus.

I look at him as if there was nothing wrong, and even manage a peaceful smile. I mouth to him "Thank you." _For anything and everything_, and I hope it is enough to get him through this last day.

Things continue getting vaguer and vaguer; I look into the pit, and think to all of my friends gone that I'll be with them soon.

I have nothing else to look at so I turn my head to Voldemort, and nod as if to say that though he got us, that even though we were gone, he hadn't won yet, there will be others.

I look to Albus one last time, and hear his voice inside my head saying, "Sleep now child, May you find the rest that you deserve." And when I look at him I see a twinkle in his eyes. As my own eyes get heavy I raise them to the sky one last time before everything goes black.

And a single tear slides down my cheek.


End file.
